E.—l

40

The school at Otekaike is to be extended, and a building for feeble-minded girls is also in course of erection at Richmond. 1913-14. 1914-15. £ £ Salaries .. .. .. .. .. 2,471 2,510 Maintenance of pupils .. .. .. 2,426 2,212 Maintenance of buildings .. .. .. 315 172 Farm and stock .. .. .. .. 270 165 Additional buildings, furniture, &c. .. .. 121 2,245 5,603 7,304 Less — Amount collected from parents by way of maintenance contributions .. 777 723 Amount collected from Charitable Aid Boards .. .. .. 857 694 Sundry other recoveries .. .. 83 1.33 1,717 1,550 Net expenditure .. .. .. .. £3,886* £5,754* * Including for 1913-14 £274, and for last year £300, from national-endowment revenue. MANUAL AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION. (See also E.-S, Report on Manual and Technical Instruction.) Elementary Handwork and Manual Instruction in Public Schools. Classes for elementary handwork were recognized under the Regulations for Manual Instruction in connection with 66 per cent., and for manual instruction in connection with 56 per cent., of the public schools. The percentages for the various education districts were as follows : — Percentage of Schools at which Instruction was given. Elementary Manual Handwork. Instruction. Auckland ... ... ... ... ... .. 53 . 43 Taranaki ... ... ... ... ... ... 60 61 Wanganui ... ... ... ... ... ... 95 78 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... ... 70 58 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... ... ... 73 65 Marlborough ... ... ... ... ... ... 42 18 Nelson ... ... ... ... ... ... 36 47 Grey ... ... ... ... ... ... 41 47 Westland ... ... ... ... ... ... 28 11 North Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... 47 62 South Canterbury ... ... ... ... 70 58 Otago ... ... ... ... ... ... 95 75 Southland ... ... ... ... ... ... 95 68 The total number of schools at which recognized classes were held was, for elementary handwork, 1,513, and, for manual instruction, 1,298. Payments by way of capitation and subsidies (£1 for £1) on voluntary contributions in money or kind, amounting in all to £31,830, were made during the year to Education Boards on account of classes for elementary handwork and manual instruction. The amount for the previous year was £30,691. In addition, special grants totalling £2,033 in aid of buildings and equipment were made. New buildings or additions to buildings have been erected during the year, or are in course of erection, at Te Aroha, Dargaville, Te Kopuru, Feilding, and Palmerston South, while necessary equipment has been provided for classes at Te Aroha, Stratford, Rongotea, Kimbolton, Feilding, Greytown, Wellington, Oxford East, and Darfield. Of the various forms of handwork taken in the standard classes those that afford opportunities not only for useful manipulative exercises, but also for concrete illustrations of other subjects of the syllabus, continue to receive the most attention. Such forms include modelling in plasticine, and constructive work with bricks, paper, and cardboard. The hand - and - eye* training commenced in the lower standards is continued in the higher standards through the medium of various